Most people would see different wedding traditions, but if there is one that can be traced from the English style, that is of spreading flowers on the pathway towards the altar before the bride walks towards it. Such a practice stems from the belief that the bride will live through her life happily and lovely.
This practice is usually done by a small girl who dons the same design or dress of the bride herself. This is to avoid being singled out by any jealous evil wishers who might envy her life of happiness in the duration of the ceremonies.
Also, brides are also advised to carry a silver horseshoe to the hem of their wedding dresses. In the olden days, brides were even asked to carry actual horseshoes for good luck. The former is what most brides apply now since good luck is what any newlyweds will always be after.
In England we tend to eat three meals a day. Many people eat their biggest meal in the evening which is often called supper or dinner. Breakfast is usually between 7am and 9am.
What do the English eat for Breakfast?
Well, this varies alot from person to person and some people skip breakfast altogether (although it is widely considered unhealthy to do so by most English people).
I expect you think you already know what an English breakfast consists of (or dare I say it, the ‘full English Breakfast’). Most people would say that the English breakfast was eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, baked beans and fried bread.
Cereals have become the healthy choice although many of the popular cereals on the market today are quite the opposite, full of sugar and other unhealthy elements.
Regardless, there are healthy cereals packed with whole grains which provide a good source of energy and are often had with milk.
A traditional winter-time alternative to cereal is hot porridge, which is a gloopy white substance that most children positively dislike!
I always had to eat mine with chocolate, which my mother was happy to allow as even porridge with chocolate is better for a young child than no porridge at all!
Women in England are given equal rights to men, and this is a very important part of English society now.
It wasn’t always this way, and it took the bravery and courage of some famous women and men to make the change. Here are some simple points about women that may differ to your country (or may not!):
It’s completely acceptable for women to drink beer. Women can drink anything men can and most of society will not find it odd. However, many men still feel that it is not attractive to see a women drinking the more tradition ‘male’ drinks like a pint of beer or very hard spirits.
It’s also normal for women to wander around alone. Just like men, women in England can go anywhere they want and do anything they like (within the law!). It is very normal to see women on their own walking from place to place, just like men. You might be asking yourself why this is notable – if so, consider yourself lucky!
Another important social event is eating out! Women in England are socially free to eat alone in restaurants. It is not seen as odd or notable to be female and alone while eating your meal in a cafe or restaurant. This is something not all countries can take for granted!
It is standard in England for women to hold positions of authority in the Armed Forces, police, politics, law and every aspect of society and business.
There are no legal restrictions on what a woman can achieve in terms of a career in England.
Some women still complain that men stop women from succeeding in business sometimes, but equally so some men complain that companies will be more likely to hire women because it makes the company look good in the eyes of society, so men are losing out on some jobs.
Both things probably do happen sometimes, but this is the result of an equal society.
Famous throughout the world for their considerate helpfulness and assertive authority that even extend till these days to not carrying a loaded firearm, the ordinary English police are a globally recognised figure in all respects. They have been portrayed in many TV dramas, and their everyday duties have never ceased to stir one’s imagination.
The average English bobby is much respected all over the world for his consideration, efficiency as well as ability to do his job. He is also renowned as being honourable and morally upright and is among the very few unarmed police patrols in the crime-dogged world. Even though the uniform has gradually changed over time, there is little doubt it is still highly recognisable.
The English police did and to a large extent still do represent citizen security and the spirit of community that made them such a symbol of England for a number of years. Many say that the good English bobby is simply the envy of the world. In addition, they also argue that the English police should never be stripped off their bobby status as they always handled the situations in the kindest possible manner.
One of the things that people will always remember is the good old English Bobby being marched out by their sarge at the beginning of their shift. The most popular sight was probably the police standing in the street phone boxes calling their station, or the glossy blue light flashing telling the bobby to answer the phone. Another very familiar sight was the sarge attracting the attention of the tired constable by tapping the pavement with his truncheon.
I myself am a fan of police drama The Bill in which the English police are always capable of sorting out the most difficult offences. It is also fascinating to see them getting tough on crime and giving people a sense of security watching the show on TV. The English police in the drama are always in large numbers and even the worst offenders will have a hard time dealing with them.
Unfortunately though, in reality we no longer see that many English constables anymore. I reckon there should be more police back on the streets to help tackle the street crime in England. Countless times I have heard awful stories of people being murdered even in broad daylight which is appalling. Hardly can anyone understand what is going on here. The government has apparently generated a lot more tax revenues than ever before but it seems very little is spent on street policing.
The London Underground (locally known as the Tube) is the biggest and oldest metro system in the world. It’s also one of the most convenient, serving about 20 hours on a daily basis. Each of the Underground lines has a different name and colour. This helps you easily follow your route on the map.
Upon your arrival at a station, you should have a look at the colour-coded signs that will direct you to the line you’re looking for. The London Underground system is divided into 6 different fare zones. The London city centre is of course in Zone 1. Your ticket price depends on the number of zones through which you travel. You can easily buy your ticket from an automatic ticket machine or alternatively at the ticket office at any station. Both single and return tickets are available and they are valid only on the date shown.
If you know where you want to go, I recommend you should use the ticket machines because they can save a lot of your time. The instructions are easy to follow. The ticket machines usually give change, but I would suggest that you use the correct money if possible. By doing this, you will help keep change for other passengers who really need it.
Most London Underground stations have ticket gates. You need to pass through them quite a few times throughout your journey. Upon your arrival, just insert your ticket into the slot of the machine through which the ticket will pass. You can then take it from a slot at the top and the gates will open to let you through. When you have completed your last journey, the gates will open and let you through but your ticket will be retained by the machine.
As far as I’m concerned, London’s Tube is probably one of the most famous in the world. However, I feel that there is something about being underground I am not very keen on. For instance, the massive crowds swarm towards the train platforms, rushing up and down stairs, following the signs and the annoying ‘Mind the gap’ thing. Based on my experience, the trains are also absolutely packed. I have so many times been pushed up against someone really stinky. It’s never easy to find yourself a seat, and you can hardly see anything. Having said that, I still believe it is the cheapest and quickest way to get around London though.
To sum up, The London Underground is really easy to use so long as you are equipped with a map. To avoid wasting your time, simply validate your ticket and pass through the gates, stand on the right hand side of the steep escalators, or just walk down on the left if you are in a rush. The Tube normally arrives every few minutes so you don’t need to run. In summer the tube can be really hot and smelly, but again it is another part of travelling around the capital of England.
For the longest time now, the British government has banned TV shows from advertising products within the programme itself. In an interesting turn of events, the government is now lifting the ban. The move will allow commercial broadcasters to place products in various TV shows, thereby advertising them.
The decision has not been announced officially but the speculation is that it will be made early this week. For sure, this announcement will be a controversial one, albeit much welcomed by TV producers. However, the ban will still remain for other broadcasters such as BBC as well as all children’s programmes, regardless of network.
So why has the government changed its stance? The Telegraph says:
The main factor behind the rethink by ministers has been the financial strictures faced by ITV and other commercial broadcasters during the recession, which have seen their advertising revenues badly hit.
Government sources also cite a European parliament directive which came into force almost two years ago permitting product placement in sport and light entertainment programmes – if national governments allowed it.
More than this, Britain is actually a little lagging in this respect. Other European Union members have already started allowing TV programmes to place products.
It will be very interesting to see how quickly the British networks are going to pounce on this opportunity. For sure, the primetime shows will have a wide array of choices as to which products to use. Bottom line, more cash will be flowing into the coffers because of this change.
Photo courtesy of The Telegraph
One of the hottest issues Britons face today is assisted suicide, or euthanasia. I am sure that you have heard of the couple who went to Switzerland to die together. After a rich and long life, they decided that it was time to end the suffering that they had been going through for the last few years of their lives. Their family supported it, and that clinic in Switzerland offered that option.
It is not the same in the UK, though. Technically, assisted suicide is illegal in the country. Indeed, doctors often freeze up at the very mention of the term. With these deaths becoming highly publicised, however, talk has been going on. Should we support or condemn assisted suicide?
From the perspective of the family of those who are suffering, assisted suicide should be an option. Indeed, for them, it is a much better option than living out one’s days in pain and inconvenience. Then we have those who believe that we should never take the lives of other people; that this is something that no human being should be made to do.
According to a story ran by the Daily Mail, there are about 800 Britons who are supposedly making plans for assisted suicide. But since this is not legal in the country, only people who are able to travel and who have the money to do so have the option. For now, the option is only available outside of the country. But it may not be far in the future that it could be legalised at home as well.
How do you feel about this?
In this day when everyone is having all sorts of problems with money, more and more people are looking for ways to save. The United Kingdom may not have experienced the worst like the United States, but there is no saying as to what might happen. That is why saving money is an important thing in everyone’s eyes these days.
One of the best people to take tips from is Richard Thompson, a retired project manager. He is no ordinary retiree. As a matter of fact, Thompson has been named as Britain’s best money saver by Money Supermarket. So what does Thompson know that we don’t already? The Times Online recently featured him and had this to say:
So, how exactly does he do it? He investigates everything from home insurance to savings accounts to make sure he is always getting the best possible deal. Thompson, 60, then plays market-leading deals to their full advantage by, for example, borrowing money at 0% and paying it into high-interest savings accounts so that it is earning money for him, not the banks.
And if you think that credit cards are a no no, think again. You can follow Thompson’s example:
Thompson has three credit cards — from Virgin, Halifax and Alliance & Leicester — all with interest-free balance-transfer deals. With no credit-card debt to pay off, he transferred the cash into a current account, then moved £18,000 into a Tesco Internet Saver account paying 2.75%.
Thompson said: “Not many people realise that card firms will transfer a balance into your account, rather than paying off a rival card.” He transfers the required amounts back to the card providers in time for the end of the 0% introductory deals, thereby avoiding paying any interest. Over 12 months he stands to earn up to £495.
Interested in making considerable savings? Follow this Brit’s example.
The Prince is following in his mother’s footsteps – at least that’s what everybody is saying. He is currently on a visit in New York, and everybody there seems to be loving him. One of the things that people are raving about is the fact that he is continuing too champion the causes that the late Princess Di upheld.
While it is true that the Prince has had several mischievous incidents in the past, it seems that he is finally getting on the right track. He is young, after all, and young people should be allowed their moments of mischief, right?
Here are the thoughts of some people on Prince Harry:
Accountant Susan Docks, 58, applauded the visiting 24-year-old British royal for honoring the charitable efforts of his mother, the late Princess Diana.
“I respect how he’s following in his mother’s footsteps campaigning for issues like AIDS and poverty in Africa,” Docks said. “He may have made some foolish choices in the past, but blame it on his youth.”
Meanwhile, Capt. Ryan Miller, a 26-year-old soldier injured while serving in Iraq, praised Prince Harry for serving in Afghanistan as part of the British army despite his royal position.
“It was great to speak with someone who knows exactly what it’s like,” Miller told the Daily News. “Royal or not, he is one of us.”
It looks to me that the Prince has a bright future ahead of him. Here is to hoping that he will not be waylaid by other distractions that may change his current course. His mum is surely beaming with pride.
God forbid! While we all know that what we know as America today originated from the Britain of old, the idea of the “colony” influencing the traditions of the “mainland” is something that is just unthinkable! However, if the analyses of various people are to be believed, it might just be that the American culture is fast creeping up on the British culture.
Take for example what is going to happen to the Antiquarius Center on King’s Road. This place is where you can find all sorts of antique things – from cuff links to photos. In the very near future, however, the Center will be demolished to make way for Anthropologie, and American chain, which will feature a fashion emporium. How one can even think about exchanging something as culturally and artistically rich as the Center for a “personality-less chain,” I don’t know!
There are other things that point to our society being influenced by American culture. The stereotypical Englishman wearing a suit and a hat has been replaced by sneakers and blue jeans. The stereotype of bad English teeth is vanishing due to dental procedures that make them straight and pearly white. (Now this one, I really don’t mind.) Psychologists and psychiatrists are fast turning to medication for their patients. Fast food like KFC is becoming more and more popular. American urban music is finding its way into the hearts of the youth. The list goes on and on and on…
But does this really mean that Britain is being Americanised? And if so, is it necessarily all a bad thing?
Photo courtesy of http://www.darvillsrareprints.com/
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Posted on Aug 19, 2010 by